Spiritual People Are Regular People

If you’re reading this, you’re likely a person interested in change, evolution, and life fulfillment. You’re seeking something. Looking for guidance. Wanting a map.

When we feel the pull to change our lives and find satisfaction in our humanness, a normal first step is to look to others to show us the way. We observe “gurus” and “experts” in our world appearing to have it all figured out. We yearn for the inner peace they so passionately promote.

This tendency to look to others for instruction about how to attain our own personal fulfillment creates an us/them mentality. They are good and I’m bad. They are spiritual and I’m just regular. They have it figured out and I don’t.

But, who are these spiritual people, really? 

I have a truth to share: Spiritual people are regular people.

There is nothing fundamentally different about your guru or idol that makes them more worthy of life satisfaction than you. They did not have a head start, and they did not get to skip over the process of evolution that you are so earnestly beginning. They certainly did not get to hand over their responsibility for their suffering.

Evolution (spiritual fulfillment/inner peace/whatever we want to call it!) is developed over time when we face our suffering head on and learn how to consciously move through the lessons that life is offering us. These lessons, like how to take care of ourselves, heal, and accept ourselves, transform suffering into peace.

There is no shortcut. No “Pass Go and Collect $200”. No fast track.

When we accept this truth, we can develop a healthy, empowering, relationship with our guides, rather than a dependent one.

Now that we know we are just as worthy and just as responsible as anyone else, we can begin the work toward discovering peace.

(And we can watch that Eckhart Tolle youtube video without feeling less-than.)

If you feel called to shift your suffering into peace, let’s chat.

Are You Chameleoning?

“The thing about chameleoning your way through life is that it gets to where nothing is real.” -John Green

Are you an expert at adapting to the people and places around you like a chameleon? When we over-adapt, we risk losing our connection to ourselves, our values, and our boundaries. This can leave us feeling depressed and anxious.

As much as we’d like to be the most agreeable, easygoing person in the room, we simply can’t please everyone. What are some ways you notice yourself over-adapting?

Here are some ideas:

-Taking on more projects or activities than we would like to “keep up”

-Participating in language or behaviors we don’t prefer to “fit in” 

-Spending too much time alone or too much time with others to satisfy norms in our social group

-Allowing our self-expression/appearance to be overly-influenced by the people around us

-Letting go of activities we’re passionate about to make time for what’s important to “the group”

When we mindfully limit over-adapting, we have more control over our mood, self-esteem, and health. We feel more authentic, more respected, and more confident.

If you tend to chameleon or over-adapt, all you need to do to re-center is consider what practices ground you back into yourself. What activities and ways of being have you let go of that are important to you? Jump back in to those things, and you’ll feel back to normal in no time.